Where is Hartley 2?

Note: Make sure you have Java enabled on your browser to see the applet. (And please give it a moment to load!)

Orbit Viewer applet originally written and kindly provided by Osamu Ajiki (AstroArts),
and further modified by Ron Baalke (JPL).
  original page

If you'd like to check out the interactive orbital displays for other comets and asteroids, please visit the NEO Program.

Where do I look in the sky?

The above graphic is pretty cool, but how will it tell me where to look?

Be sure to take a look at Reading an Orbital Diagram to get some basic background on interpreting this graphic and what the sliders and other adjustments do.

Set the date for the middle of the month. Then adjust the sliders so that you are looking at the Solar System from overhead, that Earth is at the "bottom," and the zoom includes Jupiter.

During May 2008, Earth will be catching up on the inside track until opposition in early May when the comet will be up all night along. Unfortunately, the comet will be moving very slowly and will still be outside of Jupiter's orbit and will still be very faint.

Although now an evening object during the summer 2008, Hartley 2 is still very far away and extremely faint.

For other charts, look on the Star Charts page.